4 Responses

1. In the space of a few weeks we had three parents come to us with concerns about a particular teacher. Stating the teacher had been shouting a lot at the students, made one child stand in a corner and a few parents felt like one child was unfairly targeted whilst on a school trip.

   Firstly, I replied to the parents that passed on more formal concerns stating that I would be looking into this and we would follow up. I stated that if they felt the behaviour continued they could reach out to me again.

   Secondly, I went to the teachers middle leader and asked about the teachers mindset in meetings and actions so far this year. It was shared that the teacher was dealing with some personal issues and had already been spoken to by the ML regarding their tone and manner with the students on a few occasions this year.

   Thirdly, I went to my Principal and we had discussed how to address the concerns. None of the parents wanted to take it further but we discussed addressing it with the teacher involved and had a conversation on what might happen during this chat and how I could approach it.

   I organised a time to chat with the teacher. We addressed the parents concerns and discussed why this might have been happening and why she had felt the need to raise her voice. We went further into the child standing in the corner and this had happened in quite a different way but we still discussed how this had made the child feel (being made to stand at the back of the mat). The discussion also moved into personal life and reminders around not “taking this out” on students in the classroom. The teacher agreed to work on this and I am going to check back in throughout the term.

   I still struggle with these sorts of conversations as I don’t want people to ever feel attacked or that it is personal criticism. I tried my best to approach it based on the information and facts we had received. Going forward with conversations like this my aim is to try and stay in the conversation for the time I feel it needs. I can rush through to try and get out or avoid the situation and get it over and done with. I think everything needs to be said so both parties can move forward and not feel they weren’t heard or didn’t say what needed to be said.

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2. My Ethical Dilemma

   Last year, in my role as the whole-school Sports Coordinator, I was responsible for overseeing Physical Education, school sports, and extracurricular sporting events. It was a significant year as we participated in several new sporting opportunities for the first time.
   During this time, I had built a strong rapport with a particular parent who, while supportive, had a reputation for being bold, blunt, and at times, difficult to engage with. Prior to the main incident, several parents had raised concerns about the language she used around students and her generally rude demeanour. On each occasion, I addressed these concerns by speaking with her one-on-one and reminding her of the parent code of conduct.

   In Term 4, I was mentoring a beginning teacher who was taking increasing responsibility for managing school sports. As part of this support, the teacher was given the lead on a large sporting event, which required multiple Learning Assistants (LAs) and parent volunteers to ensure adequate supervision and support for students. Unfortunately, the parent in question was not closely monitored during the event—something I later regretted.

   Later that same day, both the principal and I received an email from the principal of the host school. She reported that our parent volunteer had allegedly threatened a teacher/coach from their school and used highly inappropriate language in front of students, both from our school and theirs.

   This led to a series of difficult but necessary actions, including:

   – Informing my principal and collaboratively developing an action plan
   – Contacting the principal of the other school to gather all relevant information
   – Reaching out to other parents who were present to collect witness accounts
   – Contacting the parent involved to discuss the allegations and her behaviour

   After collecting all the necessary information, including accounts from the other school’s principal, our parent helpers, and the accused parent herself, it became clear that her behaviour was inappropriate and had negatively impacted both students and staff. While the parent attempted to justify her actions, she did not deny the use of inappropriate language or the confrontation with the coach.

   Together with my principal, we decided on the following steps:

   – The parent was formally removed from any future volunteering roles within school sport or extracurricular events.
   – A formal email was issued outlining the reasons for this decision and reinforcing the school’s expectations around adult conduct.
   – The situation was documented and shared with relevant staff to ensure consistent boundaries moving forward.
   – I debriefed with the beginning teacher to reassure him that the situation was not a reflection of her efforts and used the incident as a learning opportunity to discuss the importance of proactive supervision and assertive leadership during events.

   Reflection

   This experience challenged me to balance professional boundaries, community relationships, and student wellbeing. I had to navigate a situation that was emotionally charged and reputationally sensitive, all while supporting a staff member under my guidance. I reflected on the importance of:

   – Clearly communicating expectations to all volunteers prior to events
   – Having contingency plans in place when delegating responsibility
   – Taking immediate, transparent, and principled action in response to ethical breaches
   – Maintaining student safety and wellbeing as the foundation of all decisions

   Although difficult, the situation ultimately reinforced my values as a leader: to act with integrity, protect students, and lead by example even when it’s uncomfortable.

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3. I am currently navigating an ethical dilemma involving a beginning teacher at our kura. He joined our staff last year as a newly graduated teacher. His in-laws are both members of our staff, and while I was involved in the appointment process, I was outnumbered in the decision-making. From the outset, I had concerns about the perceived conflict of interest and its implications for fairness, staff culture, and accountability.
   Since his appointment, a pattern of behaviour has emerged that raises professional concerns. While he follows basic expectations, he does not show initiative or contribute beyond minimum requirements. He has arrived late for duties and classes on multiple occasions and has delegated classes to others without informing the leadership team. His conduct has prompted ongoing complaints from other staff members, particularly around his lack of engagement during lessons from time to time and inconsistent punctuality. I have encouraged staff to address issues with him directly, but the concerns continue to surface.
   This year, I have taken over as his mentor. Last year, his previous mentor found the role stressful due to ongoing concerns about his attitude and level of professional responsibility. Toward the end of the year, he expressed a desire to become the school’s physical education teacher- a role he describes as his “dream job”- despite having only three terms of classroom experience. Around the same time, he also began showing interest in postgraduate study in educational leadership, seemingly influenced by peers. While I support staff ambition and development, I have been clear with him that such aspirations need to be backed by consistent conduct, professional credibility, and a strong foundation of practice.
   Drawing on the ethical decision-making model outlined in this module, this dilemma highlights the need to uphold integrity, fairness, and transparency. There is tension between supporting a teacher’s professional growth and ensuring they meet basic professional standards. Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle reminds me that ethical leadership begins with the “why”- our kura is committed to equity, trust, and high expectations for all. Harvard’s perspective reinforces that ethical leadership should align with our internal moral compass; the discomfort I feel is a reflection of that compass pointing to an imbalance.
   In response, I have:
   – Held a direct and honest conversation with the teacher, affirming my willingness to support him while also outlining concerns.
   – Encouraged colleagues to provide feedback directly, rather than defaulting to leadership intervention.
   – Sought input from SLT colleagues about how best to address recurring conduct issues in a way that is fair and professional.
   – Continued to mentor him with a dual focus: supporting his aspirations while being clear about the expectations and responsibilities that must be met first.
   I will continue to document incidents and follow through with support, feedback, and accountability. I am mindful of the need to maintain staff trust and fairness, especially in a situation where there may be perceptions of preferential treatment due to family ties. I welcome feedback from others on how to handle this situation in a way that is transparent, ethical, and in the best interests of both the individual and the wider team.

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